The work and struggle of Nagihan Akarsel, a journalist and member of the Jineolojî Research Centre, who was assassinated on 4 October 2022 in Silêmaniye (Sulaymaniyah), Federated Kurdistan Region, as she was leaving her home, is being continued by women. While Nagihan Akarsel's "Kurdish Women's Library, Archive and Research Centre" project was completed on 25 June 2023, 15 of her articles published in the Journal of Jineolojî were translated into Spanish and Catalan by three women activists and published in book form.  The book, which was published in Spanish under the title "Voz Arcaica", was published in Catalan under the title "Veu Arcaica (Your absence is for living)". 

 

Fanny Arambilet, a member of the "Kurdish Women's Research Centre, Archive and Library", who took part in the work and translated it into Catalan, stated that it was important to convey Nagihan Akarsel's ideas to the women of the world and that the work was not only a commemoration, but also a step towards international solidarity between women.

 

Fanny Artambilet said that she and her two woman friend took the decision to translate. "We wanted to keep Nagihan's ideas alive and give meaning to her martyrdom," said Fanny Artambilet, adding that the work was not a translation, but an opportunity for women living in different geographies to meet with Jineoloji and to meet around a common consciousness. 

 

Fanny Artambilet said: "I heard about Nagihan Akarsel and wanted to get to know her. I am also a member of Jineoloji. Nagihan was a fundamental voice. She was an important personality for gynecology and women's studies. Nagihan had a great influence on me. I see her as a very knowledgeable and organised woman. Before reading Nagihan, I felt like an unfertile and hard soil, but when I started reading her writings, all her words penetrated into me, greened my existence and revived me like a fertile soil."

 

ARTICLES TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH AND CATALAN

 

Fanny Arambilet talked about the beginning of the work and said that they started working as a group supporting Süleymaniye Women's Library and that they aimed to keep Nagihan's memory alive. For this purpose, they translated their articles into Spanish and Catalan and this process brought the women into contact with each other. 

 

'HER THOUGHTS ARE AN INVITATION TO WOMEN'

 

Fanny Artambilet stated that translation, especially in Catalan, was a challenging process because Nagihan's language was poetic: "In my opinion, as women of the world, we should make Nagihan's understanding our own understanding. With this understanding we can build an honourable life. Women have been cut off from life for thousands of years and have not recognised themselves. Therefore Nagihan's thought is an invitation for us. We must agree with her ideas and internalise them. Only in this way can we be part of a free life."

 

'IT WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO REACH LATIN AMERICA'

 

Fanny Artambilet said that the Spanish translation of the articles could easily be translated into other languages and that Spain has long been interested in the women's movement and Jineolojî in Kurdistan and that through these translations it is possible for the ideas to reach Latin America. 

She said: "We will promote this book in various cities in Spain. I believe this work will become widespread. It is not easy to make the voice of a woman like Nagihan heard around the world. I am very sorry that I could not see her face to face. Because in her evaluations about free life, she makes it necessary and possible for men and women to live freely together. I hope Nagihan's ideas will have a strong impact. This is necessary not only for women, but also for men." 

 

'HOW DO FEMINISTS DEFINE FREEDOM?'

 

Fanny Artambilet pointed out that the women's movements of the world are influenced by the Kurdish women's movement and said: "The influence of the capitalist state is very heavy in the region where I live. In fact, one side of my neighbourhood is moving towards fascism. If we do not stop these fascist tendencies, the result could be more grave. There is a women's liberation process in the region where I live, but the problem is; how do feminist women define freedom? Most of the time we are influenced by liberalism and capitalism. But when I saw the women's revolution in Rojava and the women's movement in Kurdistan, I was very impressed. There are strong dynamics in the society in Latin America and in Kurdistan as well. But in the west of the world, humanity is being subjected to severe attacks. If we follow the right path, Nagihan's path, we will surely find our way. What impressed me most about Nagihan was her strength and sincerity. She was the founder and soul of the women's library. It was her great power that impressed me. She established a research centre, a women's library in Süleymaniye. Her identity as a political woman and her scientific aspect impressed me. This was the result of her courage and love. One of the things that impressed me the most was her love for nature. Her love for the whole universe. She talked about the spirit of air, nature, stones. She was talking about everything alive. Nagihan's world was a very beautiful world. She will always be with us. The title of the book was 'your absence is for life'. But actually Nagihan's absence is our life. That's why it will never disappear, it will always live in one of us."

 

'YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD EMBRACE THIS HERITAGE'

 

Stating that young women should embrace Nagihan Akarsel's ideas and books the most, Fanny Artambilet concluded: "Young women have energy. I believe that young women and older women will share this experience together. Because both old women and young women should read this book. Especially young women should embrace this heritage. We should call out to the universe just like Nagihan did. Young women should read the book and recognise themselves. We can break our chains with what Nagihan offers us. Let her voice be the archaic voice of all of us. Let's read and share collectively."

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut